Hope you all had a wonderful first week of Advent! This weekend we celebrate the virtue of faith as we enter the second week of Advent and remember the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. If you are looking for a daily Advent reflection, Formed.org has started “The Road to Bethlehem” which is a nice way to start the day and help prepare our hearts for Jesus’s birth!
What’s happening this weekend/next week:
- Special thanks to everyone who helped at the Community Thanksgiving dinner. We served over 250 meals on Thursday in record time! Thank you to everyone who contributed their valued time and effort to this worthwhile community service.
- The Mass schedule for next week will be:
- Monday – Immaculate Conception of Mary Vigil Mass, 5pm
- Tuesday – Immaculate Conception, 9am
- Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 8:30am
- If you are able to help with cleaning after Masses this weekend, please sign up here.
- We still have a few tags left for The Charlevoix Community Christmas Project. Many of these tags have multiple family members on them this year so feel free to go in on a family with a few friends! If you have questions, please email Rebecca Jeakle (jeakle@att.net) or call the Parish office – 547-6652. Please don’t forget to sign your tag out!
- We continue our Advent Formation Series on Tuesdays at 5pm with The Search on FORMED.org. If you would like to participate, please call the Parish office to sign up: 231-547-6652 and Mindy will send you the link for the ZOOM meeting.
- St. Mary School will be hosting a Spaghetti Dinner (change from Fish Fry previously announced!) on Friday, December 11 from 5-7pm – take out style. Cost is $10 per person.
- We are looking for help with Adoration on Thursdays and Fridays in the 2pm slot. If you are able to spend an hour with Jesus or are willing to be on the substitute list, please call the Parish office to let Mindy know.
- We will be having a “drive by” birthday celebration for Mary Bradley on Tuesday, December 8. Please meet at 3:45 at the Assembly of God church off M-66. Father Peter will lead the caravan to Mary’s house in celebration of her 95th birthday!
- If you or someone you know would like a “socially distanced” home visit to receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist, please call the Parish office – 231-547-6652.
- Father Peter’s article, “Prepare your Hearts,” is now available on the Charlevoix Courier website.
- Finally, the Faith Formation/Sacramental Prep schedule for the month of December is below!
Enjoy your weekend!
“Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.” — St. Francis de Sales
Faith Formation Schedule for December
December 6: Faith Formation 9:15-10:45am
December 13: Sacrament Preparation for First Eucharist and Confirmation 9:15-10:45am (no Faith Formation classes)
December 20: Faith Formation 9:15-10:45am,
December 20: First Reconciliation Preparation Class 9:15-10:45am
December 27 – NO CLASS
January 3 – NO CLASS
Questions?
Please contact Liz Gengle: 231-547-6652 ext.13 or egengle@stmaryschoolcharlevoix.org
St. NicholasFeast Day – December 6 St. Nicholas, also known as “Nikolaos of Myra,” was a fourth century saint and Greek bishop of Myra. Nicholas was born in Asia Minor in the Roman Empire as an only child to Christian parents. Nicholas would take nourishment only once on Wednesdays and Fridays, and that in the evening according to the canons. “He was exceedingly well brought up by his parents and trod piously in their footsteps. The child, watched over by the church, enlightened his mind and encouraged his thirst for sincere and true religion.” Both of his parents tragically died during an epidemic when he was a young man, leaving him well off, but to be raised by his uncle – the Bishop of Patara. Nicholas was determined to devote his inheritance to works of charity, and his uncle mentored him as a reader and later ordained him as a presbyter (priest).An opportunity soon arose for St. Nicholas and his inheritance. A citizen of Patara had lost all his money, and needed to support his three daughters who could not find husbands because of their poverty; so the wretched man was going to give them over to prostitution. Nicholas became informed of this, and thus took a bag of gold and threw it into an open window of the man’s house in the night. Here was a dowry for the eldest girl and she was soon duly married. At intervals Nicholas did the same for the second and the third; at the last time the father was on the watch, recognized his benefactor and overwhelmed Nicholas with his gratitude. Source: Catholic Online (catholic.org) |